A health surveillance officer monitors passengers arriving at the Hong Kong International airport in Hong Kong. A preliminary investigation into viral pneumonia illnesses sickening dozens of people in and around China has identified the possible cause as a new type of coronavirus, state media said. - AP
The emergence of the virus is raising concerns as hundreds of millions of people are getting ready to travel during the Chinese New Year holiday, later this month."Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks," the WHO said.
Coronaviruses can infect animals and people, causing diseases ranging from the common cold to severe illnesses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome .